Coyotes, welcome to your Monday following a Game 1 loss to the Los Angeles Kings in the Western Conference Final.

"We had some games like this, but not to the point where we got out-competed the way we did," Coyotes coach Dave Tippett said following the game.

Think the coach is upset with his team?

Fortunately for the Coyotes - unlike the Mighty Ducks before them - quitting is not really an option, unless you think they gave up in Sunday's 4-2 loss. And hey, it'd be tough to argue that assertion.

After all, the Coyotes were, as Tippett said, beat in every facet of the game. They were outshot 48-27, they went 0-for-5 on the power play, turned the puck over far too often and failed to do much of anything positive, save a Derek Morris shot from center ice and an outstanding play that led to Mikkel Boedker's second- period goal. In all, little happened that would lead one to believe the Coyotes will be able to knock off the hottest team in hockey.

Unless, of course, they play better which was, surprisingly, the general theme in the dressing room following the game.

"It's frustrating when you get beat, it's disappointing when you get beat," Coyotes captain Shane Doan said. "It's no good, especially when we don't play as well as we can."

Doan gave credit to the Kings for controlling the game, and rightfully so. The tempo was set early - L.A. scored just 3:53 into the game - and Jonathan Quick was impressive at saving shots that did not come from the red line.

The Coyotes did have chances, and they head into Tuesday's Game 2 feeling like it's up to them to play their game, not adjust to the Kings'. Find a team that doesn't have that kind of mentality after a loss and you'll have one that does not believe it can win.

That's not the Coyotes, at least not yet.

"I'm pretty sure that you don't get anything from winning one," Doan said. "We've got to find a way to win the next one."

Indeed, because while Game 2 is not technically a "must- win," it would be tough to imagine the Coyotes coming back from an 0-2 hole in this one.

"It's a long, long battle," center Antoine Vermette said. "It's not going to come easy, there's plenty of hockey still left; you have to adjust quickly and learn from your mistakes."

Tippett said he's curious to see how his team responds from being down in a series for the first time this postseason.

"I'm interested to see how we come back and play better," he said. "Because we have to play better if we're going to have a chance to win."

The process will begin at 11:30 a.m. Monday as the Coyotes take the ice at Jobing.com Arena for practice.

Good luck, gentlemen.